Public Impressions

1. Viktor Mayer-Schönberger, Professor of Oxford University and co-author of Big Data

I am very honored and very grateful to be here. Both my wife and I experience tremendous hospitality by everyone here. We have been given a beautiful home and wonderful food. When I came here, I was told that this would be a vegetarian place and whether I have any problems with that. When I told my wife about this, she was actually excited as a vegetarian herself. I was truly delighted and surprised by the variety of taste and texture and flavors that was offered to me. I also feel quite inspired by the atmosphere here, there is something in the atmosphere I cannot name it, that makes this a very special place.

2. Jigmi Y. Thinley, Former Prime Minister of Bhutan

It was my first visit to Taiwan and we feel very blessed that on our very first visit outside Taipei, we are able to come and visit this amazing center of Buddhism here, the center of spirituality in this nation. We are amazed by the vision with which this center has been built. In the structures here, we are amazed to find that the entire philosophy , the essence of Buddhism is expressed in the form of this wonderful architecture. We admire and appreciate the work that the Fo Guang Shan Monastery is doing, that the Master and the nuns and the monks of this Monastery, are doing not only here in Taiwan, but all over the world in spreading and making familiar to the world, the philosophy and the spirit of Buddhism.
We congratulate you for what you achieved, and we wish you well into the future.

3. Vinicio Cerezo, Former President of Guatemala and Founder of Esquipulas

It was amazing having the opportunity to experience Buddhist etiquette and festivities. I look forward to a more in-depth understanding of the Buddha Museum in my next visit.

I was able to make some tea today, and I learned that the first step in order to make tea is to rest myself and my mind through meditation, so I could calm myself before I started the task before me. During the time when I made tea, I was very careful and delicate with the equipment today, and there is patience needed in order to make tea. It was important for me to reflect on the taste of the first pour, and just the amount of time needed in order to make it more suitable for myself, that required reflection on my part. And I also enjoy sharing my tea that was made with my friends. It was an experience that was more involved that I had previously thought, but very simple and delicate in its nature. I enjoyed making tea today and I look forward to maybe coming back and trying again.

5. Dr. Aaron Ciechanover, 2004 Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry

Visiting the BMC opens the door to the understanding of Buddhism.

6. Akira Suzuki, 2010 Nobel Prize Winner in Chemistry

I am touched to see that Fo Guang Shan Monastery and the halls at BMC are facilitated with elevators. With such considerate designs, I would surely bring my family here again.

The architecture and facilities at the Buddha Museum are amazing, the work of Venerable Master Hsing Yun is exceptional.

8. Olga Truevtseva, Board Member of International Council of Museums (ICOM)

I am especially interested in the underground palaces. After visiting the multifunctional Great Enlightenment Auditorium, I anticipate the opportunity to hold ICOM conferences at the Buddha Museum in the future.

9. Dan Jixiang, Curator of Palace Museum in Beijing, China

The design of the Buddha Museum embodies the Dharma teachings. The staff members are committed and offer excellent services. With interactive and obstacle-free facilities, BMC is truly a Buddha Land in the Human World.

10. Dr. Chang Yui-Tan, Director of National History Museum

The Buddha Museum is a joyful place. It creates a cheerful environment where learning becomes more enjoyable. The presence of BMC makes life more meaningful.

11. Han Jinke, Former Director of Famen Temple Museum

I was very moved when I visited the Museum of Underground Palaces at the Buddha Memorial Center. As the saying goes, "A Master appears every five hundred years." Venerable Master Hsing Yun accommodates the Pure Land to the human world by transforming BMC into a Buddha realm where generations of world citizens can be blessed by the Great Buddha.

12. Lee Chi-Mao, World-Renowned Painter

At the Buddha Memorial Center, every facility, from a chair to the washroom, is designed to meet the needs of visitors. The compassion of Venerable Master Hsing Yun sees the need of every person. The most sacred gallery in the world is the Buddha Museum. I am proud to have my artwork presented here at Fo Guang Shan." (Lee Chi-Mao donated over 300 purple-clay teapots, which he has collected for over 50 years, to FGS. These teapots are displayed at BMC. He also made a painting of BMC.)

13. Ho Boon Ky, Color Painter and Resident Artist of BMC

The beautiful scenery of the Buddha Museum makes one feel as if one is in heaven. The monastics and volunteeers are kind and approachable, and with the exquisite surroundings, I was able to complete hundreds of artworks in great delight. (Ho's works were displayed at BMC. After receiving the Encyclopedia of Buddhist Arts from Venerable Master Hsing Yun, he created another hundred pieces of artworks which he donated to BMC in June 2015.)

15. Yu Qiuyu, Writer and Resident Writer at BMC

The Buddha Memorial Center is a magnificent spiritual haven in the Buddhist field. I am impressed by the monastics who receive guests with joy. The smiling faces of these modern monastics and the dignified Buddha image serve as a spiritual bridge between ordinary human beings and the Buddha. The Buddha Museum embarks with a good start under the instruction of Venerable Master Hsing Yun. This enthusiasm of the monastics shall continue to nurture more visitors.

One is able to experience the altruistic and compassionate heart to propagate Dharma of Venerable Master Hsing Yun while visiting the Buddha Museum. Chinese around the world are able to find balance between heart and soul from Humanistic Buddhism. I am looking forward to film a documentary on the one-stroke calligraphy of Venerable Master Hsing Yun (Winner of the 2013 Global Chinese Lifetime Achievement Award).

17. Xu Jialu, China Academy of Culture

I was in awe when I visited the Buddha Museum for the first time, not because of its scale, but because of the sincerity of every monk, lay Buddhist and volunteer. The effort and hard work to transform a piece of desolate mountain into a monastery is immeasurable.

18. Charles Gao, Founder of Commonwealth Publishing

The Buddha Museum aims to propagate Buddhism, which has lasted for over 2,000 years, with modern technology, civilization, and sensual experiences to demonstrate the elusive Buddhism in a modern and lively way. The compassionate and loving nature of human beings are also inspired through the Buddha's life stories.

19. Yu Guangzhong, Poet

The environment and atmosphere of the Buddha Museum is able to purify one's heart and soul, which makes it an ideal place to calm one's mind. I visited Venerable Master Hsing Yun thirty years ago when I just settled down at Kaohsiung. He is the spirit of Fo Guang Shan. His generosity and compassion are embodied in the harmonious coexistence with Christianity as well as the other religions.

20. Lin Qingxuan, Writer

The Buddha Museum cannot be solely described with the word "grandiose." It encompasses us with a sense of a great country. The Buddha Museum poses a prosperous atmosphere similar to that of ancient monasteries, like the Da Yan Pagoda in China.

21. Aven Kuei, Executive Director of Five Senses Arts Management

The Buddha Museum is constructed from life and passion. I saw more smiling faces than I ever have here, which is more than an ordinary exhibition could accomplish.

22. Dai Zhongren, Anchor of National Treasures (a programme of Beautiful Life TV)

The precious collections and exhibitions at the Buddha Museum surprised me! To my great amazement, the monks are able to work more efficiently than a modern company could. The insights into art and beauty of the monastics are sharper than those of ordinary people. This is something I had never thought about before and for which I had to admit my own inferiority. If you have never visited the Buddha Museum, then you must pay a visit in the future. The place that you cannot miss visiting in your life is the Fo Guang Shan Buddha Museum.

23. Wang Luxiang, Senior Director and Commentator of Phoenix TV

The location of the Buddha Museum seems to be chosen by the Buddha. Fo Guang Shan is situated facing south, while the Buddha Museum faces the east. The natural formation of the two enables one to experience the grandiosity of the Buddha's existence between the sky and the land. The eight pagodas symbolize the principles that Humanistic Buddhism abides by. The Buddha Museum is an architecture of the century.

24. Huang Ching-lung, Editor-in-chief of Want Daily

We are very grateful for the chance to hold activities at the Buddha Museum. I have visited the BMC for more than ten times. Every time I come here, I sense the power of serenity.